Legal Counsel

About the role

DingoBlu is seeking an experienced Legal Counsel to serve as the company's primary in-house legal resource, supporting a broad range of commercial, product, and compliance matters. This is a hands-on, high-visibility role for someone who enjoys working directly with business teams to move deals forward, protect the company, and keep pace with a fast-growing fintech organization.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point person for negotiating legal terms on vendor contracts, including NDAs, MSAs, SOWs, and procurement agreements
• Draft, review, and negotiate client and partner service agreements, ensuring terms appropriately balance business objectives and legal risk
• Maintain a contract playbook and standard templates to streamline negotiation and improve turnaround time
• Track key contract obligations, renewal dates, and risk provisions across the company's active agreement portfolio
• Own and maintain the Terms and Conditions, Terms of Service, and related legal documentation for DingoBlu's products and services
• Partner with Product and Engineering to ensure new features and offerings are properly documented and legally compliant prior to launch
• Draft and maintain privacy policies, disclosures, and consumer agreements in coordination with applicable banking and fintech regulations
• Monitor changes in consumer protection and financial services law and update product documentation accordingly
• Review and advise on marketing materials, advertising campaigns, and promotional content for legal and regulatory compliance prior to publication
• Advises Marketing on claims substantiation, required disclosures, and UDAAP (unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices) considerations
• Partner with Compliance to ensure marketing practices align with applicable banking, lending, and consumer financial protection regulations
• Identify, engage, and manage relationships with outside counsel across practice areas (corporate, regulatory, litigation, IP, employment)
• Oversee outside counsel budgets, scope matters appropriately, and manage spend against forecast
• Evaluate outside counsel performance and make recommendations on engagement and firm selection
• Cover the flow of information between outside counsel and internal stakeholders on active matters
• Work closely with the legal and compliance department of DingoBlu's FDIC-insured bank partner(s) on program agreements, product approvals, and ongoing regulatory obligations
• Lead the company's trademark and intellectual property protection efforts

Requirements

• Required 5+ years of experience in a similar in-house counsel or law firm role, with substantial experience in commercial contract negotiation
• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing (North Carolina bar, or ability to obtain in-house counsel registration)
• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating vendor agreements, client/customer service agreements, and Terms and Conditions
• Experience reviewing marketing and advertising content for legal and regulatory compliance
• Experience managing outside counsel relationships, budgets, and matter workflows
• Experience working with bank or financial institution partners, including their legal and compliance teams, on program agreements and product approvals
• Working knowledge of trademark and intellectual property protection, including filings, enforcement, and licensing
• Strong working knowledge of general commercial law, contract law, and corporate governance principles
• Excellent negotiation, drafting, and communication skills, with the ability to translate legal risk into practical business terms
• Sound business judgment and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced, resource-lean environment

Preferred

• Background in banking, payments, consumer financial services, or fintech, with familiarity with related regulatory frameworks
• Prior experience as first or early legal hire at a startup or high-growth company
• Domain expertise in relevant areas such as contract negotiation, product terms, marketing compliance, outside counsel management, bank partner coordination, regulatory support, and corporate governance

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school required
• Active bar membership in good standing required
• Additional certifications in compliance or financial services law are a plus

Skills & Focus Areas

• Contract Negotiation
• Vendor Agreements, MSAs, SOWs, Client Service Agreements, NDAs, Redlining
• Product & Terms Drafting
• Terms of Service, Privacy Policies, EULAs, Product Disclosures
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Banking/Fintech Regulations, Consumer Protection Law, State & Federal Compliance
• Bank Partner Relations
• Program Agreements, Bank Compliance Coordination, Product Approvals, Audit Support
• Marketing Review
• Advertising Compliance, Claims Substantiation, UDAAP Review
• Outside Counsel Management
• Budget Oversight, Matter Management, Vendor Selection
• Corporate & Risk
• Corporate Governance, Risk Assessment, Litigation Coordination, Insurance
• Intellectual Property
• Trademark Filings & Enforcement, Trade Secrets, IP Licensing, Brand Protection

Benefits

Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Additional hours may be required around contract deadlines, product launches, or urgent legal matters. Occasional travel may be required for outside counsel meetings, banking partner engagements, or company events.

Pay

Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Schedule

Full-time, on-site position based at DingoBlu's headquarters in Charlotte, NC.